“Darling　Andy；　don’t　worry　your　pretty　little　head　about　it。”　And
  before　I　could　move　my　mouth　out　from　underneath　his　touch；　he
  reached　his　other　hand　behind　my　head　and　took　my　face　in　both
  hands。　Somewhere　deep　in　the　recesses　of　my　pletely　addled　brain；
  the　firing　synapses　were　warning　me　that　he　was　going　to　kiss　me。　I
  knew　it；　sensed　it；　but　couldn’t　move。　He　took　my　split…second
  hesitation　to　move　away　as　permission；　leaned　over；　and　touched　his
  lips　to　my　neck。　Just　quickly；　a　brush；　really；　with　perhaps　a
  little　tongue；　right　underneath　my　jaw　and　near　my　ear　but　still
  firmly　on　the　neck；　and　then　he　reached　for　my　hand　and　pulled　me
  inside。
  “Christian；　wait！　I；　uh；　I　need　to　tell　you　something；”　I　started；
  not　quite　sure　whether　one　uninvited；　nonlip；　minimal…tongue　kiss
  really　demanded　a　whole　long　explanation　of　having　a　boyfriend　and
  not　meaning　to　send　the　wrong　signals。　Apparently　Christian　didn’t
  think　it　was　necessary；　because　he　had　walked　me　to　a　couch　in　a
  dark　corner　and　ordered　me　to　sit。　Which　I　did。
  “I’m　getting　us　drinks；　OK？　Don’t　worry　so　much。　I　don’t　bite。”　He
  laughed；　and　I　felt　myself　turn　red。　“Or；　if　I　do；　I　promise　you’ll
  enjoy　it。”　And　he　turned　and　walked　toward　the　bar。
  To　keep　from　passing　out　or　having　to　actually　consider　what　had
  just　transpired；　I　scanned　the　dark；　cavernous　room　for　Lily。　We’d
  been　there　less　than　three　minutes；　but　she　was　already　deep　in
  conversation　with　a　tall　black　guy；　hanging　on　his　every　word　and
  throwing　her　head　back　with　delight。　I　weaved　through　the　throngs　of
  international　drinkers。　How　did　they　all　know　that　this　was　the
  place　to　e　if　you　didn’t　have　an　American　passport？　I　passed　a
  group　of　men　in　their　thirties　shouting　in　what　I　think　was
  Japanese；　two　women　flapping　their　hands　and　talking　passionately　in
  Arabic；　and　a　young；　unhappy…looking　couple　glaring　at　each　other
  and　whispering　angrily　in　something　that　sounded　like　Spanish　but
  could　have　been　Portuguese。　Lily’s　guy　had　his　hand　on　the　small　of
  her　back　already　and　was　looking　utterly　charmed。　No　time　for
  niceties；　I　decided。　Christian　Collinsworth　had　just　massaged　my
  neck　with　his　mouth。　Ignoring　the　guy；　I　clamped　my　hand　down　on　her
  right　arm　and　turned　to　drag　her　back　to　the　couch。
  “Andy！　Stop　it；”　she　hissed；　pulling　her　arm　free　but　remembering　to
  smile　for　her　guy。　“You’re　being　rude。　I’d　like　to　introduce　you　to
  my　friend。　William；　this　is　my　best　friend；　Andrea；　who　doesn’t
  usually　act　like　this。　Andy；　this　is　William。”　She　smiled
  benevolently　as　we　shook　hands。
  “So；　may　I　ask　why　you’re　stealing　your　friend　from　me；　Ahn…dre…ah？”
  William　asked　in　a　deep　voice　that　almost　echoed　in　the　subterranean
  space。　Perhaps　in　another　place　or　at　another　time　or　with　another
  person　I　would’ve　noticed　his　warm　smile　or　the　chivalrous　way　he’d
  immediately　stood　and　offered　his　seat　when　I　approached；　but　the
  only　thing　I　could　focus　on　was　that　British　accent。　Didn’t　matter
  that　this　was　a　man；　a　large　black　man；　who　didn’t　exactly　resemble
  Miranda　Priestly　in　any　way；　shape；　or　form。　Just　hearing　that
  accent；　the　way　he　pronounced　my　namejust　like　she　did；　was　enough
  to　literally　make　my　heart　beat　a　little　faster。
  “William；　I’m　sorry；　it’s　nothing　personal。　It’s　just　that　I　have　a
  little　problem　and　I’d　like　to　talk　to　Lily　in　private。　I’ll　bring
  her　right　back。”　And　with　that；　I　grabbed　her　arm　more　firmly　this
  time　and　yanked。　Enough　of　this　shit：　I　needed　my　friend。
  Once　we’d　settled　into　the　couch　where　Christian　had　placed　me　and　I
  checked　to　ensure　he　was　still　trying　to　get　the　bartender’s
  attention　（straight　guy　at　the　bar—he　may　be　there　all　night）；　I
  took　a　deep　breath。
  “Christian　kissed　me。”
  “So　what’s　the　problem？　Was　he　a　bad　kisser？　Oh；　that’s　it；　isn’t
  it？　No　quicker　way　to　ruin　a　good　fraction　than—”
  “Lily！　Good；　bad；　what’s　the　difference？”
  Her　eyebrows　reached　up　her　forehead　and　she　opened　her　mouth　to
  talk；　but　I　kept　going。
  “And　not　that　it’s　at　all　relevant；　but　he　kissed　my　neck。　The
  problem　is　nothow　he　did；　it’s　that　it　happened　at　all　in　the　first
  place。　What　about　Alex？　I　don’t　exactly　go　around　kissing　other
  guys；　you　know。”
  “Don’t　I　ever；”　she　mumbled　under　her　breath　before　speaking　up。
  “Andy；　you’re　being　ridiculous。　You　love　Alex　and　he　loves　you；　but
  it’s　perfectly　okay　if　you　feel　like　kissing　another　guy　once　in　a
  while。　You’re　twenty…three　years　old；　for　chrissake。　Cut　yourself　a
  little　slack！”
  “But　I　didn’t　kiss　him　。　。　。　He　kissed　me！”
  “First　of　all；　let’s　get　something　very　clear。　Remember　when　Monica
  went　down　on　Bill　and　the　whole　country　and　all　our　parents　and　Ken
  Starr　rushed　to　call　that　sex？　That　was　not　sex。　In　much　the　same
  way；　some　guy　who　probably　means　to　kiss　your　cheek　but　gets　your
  neck　instead　does　not　qualify　as　‘kissing　someone。’　”
  “But—”
  “Shut　up　and　let　me　finish。　More　important　than　what　actually
  happened　is　that　you　wanted　it　to　happen。　Just　admit　it；　Andy。　You
  wanted　to　kiss　Christian　regardless　of　whether　that’s　‘wrong’　or
  ‘bad’　or　‘against　the　rules。’　And　if　you　don’t　admit　it；　you’re
  lying。”
  “Lily；　seriously；　I　don’t　think　it’s　fair　that—”
  “I’ve　known　you　for　nine　years；　Andy。　You　don’t　think　I　can　see　it
  written　all　over　your　face　that　you　worship　him？　You　know　you
  shouldn’t—he　doesn’t　quite　play　by　your　rules；　does　he？　But　that’s
  probably　exactly　why　you　like　him。　Just　go　with　it；　enjoy　it。　If
  Alex　is　right　for　you；　he’ll　always　be　right　for　you。　And　now；
  you’ll　have　to　excuse　me；　because　I　have　found　someone　who’s　right
  for　me　。　。　。　for　right　now。”　She　literally　jumped　off　the　couch　and
  skipped　back　to　William；　who　looked　undeniably　happy　to　see　her。
  I　felt　self…conscious　sitting　on　the　oversize　velvet　couch　alone　and
  looked　around　to　find　Christian；　but　he　wasn’t　at　the　bar　anymore。
  It　would　just　take　a　little　more　time；　I　decided。　Everything　would
  just　sort　itself　out　if　I　just　stopped　worrying　so　much。　Maybe　Lily
  was　right　and　I　did　like　Christian—what　was　so　wrong　with　that？　He’s
  smart　and　undeniably　gorgeous；　and　the　whole　take…charge　confidence
  thing　was　incredibly　sexy。　Hanging　out　with　someone　who　just
  happened　to　be　sexy　didn’t　exactly　translate　as　cheating。　I’m　sure
  there　had　been　situations　over　the　years　in　which　Alex　had　worked
  with　or　studied　with　or　gotten　to　know　a　cool；　attractive　girl；　and
  he　may　have　had　thoughts。　Did　that　make　him　disloyal？　Of　course　not。
  With　renewed　confidence　（and　a　now…desperate　attempt　to　see；　watch；
  hear；　just　be　near　Christian　again）；　I　began　cruising　the　lounge。
  I　found　him　leaning　on　his　right　hand；　talking　intently　to　an　older
  man；　probably　in　his　late　forties；　who　was　wearing　a　very　dapper
  three…piece　suit。　Christian　was　gesturing　wildly；　hands　flailing；
  with　a　look　on　his　face　that　registered　somewhere　between　amused　and
  supremely　annoyed；　while　the　man　with　salt…and…pepper　hair　looked　at
  him　earnestly。　I　was　still　too　far　away　to　hear　what　they　were
  discussing；　but　I　must　have　been　staring　rather　intently；　because
  the　man’s　eyes　locked　on　mine　and　he　smiled。　Christian　pulled　back　a
  little；　followed　his　gaze；　and　saw　me　watching　them　both。
  “Andy；　darling；”　he　said；　his　tone　entirely　different　from　what　it
  had　been　just　a　few　minutes　earlier。　I　noticed　he　made　the
  transition　from　seducer　to　friend　of　your　parent　quite　smoothly。
  “e　here；　I’d　like　you　to　meet　a　friend　of　mine。　This　is　Gabriel
  Brooks；　my　agent；　Business　manager；　and　all…around　hero。　Gabriel；
  this　is　Andrea　Sachs；　currently　ofRunway　magazine。”
  “Andrea；　a　pleasure　to　meet　you；”　Gabriel　said；　extending　a　hand　and
  taking　mine　in　one　of　those　annoyingly　delicate
  I’m…not…shaking…your…hand…as…I…would…a…man’s…because…I’m…sure…I’d…just…snap…your…girly…little…bones…in…half
  clutches。　“Christian　has　told　me　a　lot　about　you。”
  “Really？”　I　said；　pressing　a　bit　more　firmly；　which　only　caused　him
  to　loosen　his　already　slack　grip。　“All　good；　I　hope？”
  “Of　course。　He　said　you’re　an　aspiring　writer；　like　our　mutual
  friend　here。”　He　smiled。
  I　was　surprised　to　hear　that　he　actually　had　heard　about　me　from
  Christian；　since　our　conversation　about　writing　had　sounded　like
  just　small　talk。　“Yes；　well；　I　love　to　write；　so　hopefully　someday　。
  。　。”
  “Well；　if　you’re　half　as　good　as　some　of　the　other　people　he’s　sent
  my　way；　then　I　look　forward　to　reading　your　work。”　He　dug　around　in
  an　in